Yossarian wrote:

I wear Doc Marten’s. Super comfy when they’ve been broken in, smart enough for most situations, don’t stink like trainers. I hate trainers, me.

AJ wrote:

Yossarian wrote:

Even compared to trainers?

Yes, only a single trainer wearer I've known has had smellier shoes than the Doc Martens wearers, and he had the most hideous feet I've ever seen.

Yossarian wrote:

That’s remarkable, I do own a pair of trainers which I don’t wear often and you can tell from several paces which are smellier, and it’s no way the DMs. I wonder if your friends who favour DMs might just have incredibly smelly feet.

Possibly. Or it might have something to do with the fact you can wash trainers. Do you do the same things in your DMs and trainers? I mean, if you go running in the trainers but only walk in the boots, for example, yours aren't really something to judge this on.

While I've never owned DMs, I used to wear boots and reckon the way they don't breathe as well as trainers, and just collect all the sweat in them, made them smell more.

Anyway, trail shoes are the clear winner here.

I don’t run in anything if I can possibly avoid it.

Yossarian wrote:

I don’t run in anything if I can possibly avoid it.

Ah, you're one of those naked midnight runners I've heard about. Never been sure if I respect that or find it creepy.

Yes? What are you doing with that other hand?

WorKid wrote:

Yeah just black and comfy for walking about 5k a day.

As I can attest after owning a pair and all the pure hunners of people wearing them on the trian to work, get yourself any kind of Asics Gel model that comes in the style you want in all black. 

Here are the Asics Gel Lyte V:


Or if you want real super duper comfort you can get some all black Nike Huarache Run Ultras:



 or Adidas Ultraboost or 93/17s:




I have walked to work in all of them apart from the Ultraboosts as I got the 93/17 instead, all of them in all black as above, no one has ever said shit, worn them to meetings with big ass clients, no one noticed, unless they actually knew about trainers and then they just gave me compliments after they got their necks absolutely broke by how hard they are. 

If you buy a hiking shoe for walking to work you fucking up son, plain and simple. Am prepared to fight all of the people in this thread. You on the commute, you want some comfort, not some indestrucible heavy ass boots that are going to make your legs tired from lugging the weight around.

EDIT: Full disclosure, I walk about 7.5-8.5km a day average. All of the trainers above lasted or look like theyre going to last about a year, my Asics and Huaraches were pretty worn out in the soles after this time, I think my current 93/17s will last a bit better in the sole but the knit upper is probably going to wear more than the uppers on the Asics and the Huarache just because of the material. That said I'm of the opinion that I only have one lower back and one pair of legs and I'll be damned if I'm going to fuck them up because I went walking about everywhere in shoes that offer minimal impact protection.

Thing with proper walking shoes is they will keep your feet dry in the winter.

Liveinadive wrote:

Thing with proper walking shoes is they will keep your feet dry in the winter.

I've had wet feet probably a handful of times in those shoes walking in rain on the commute. Also repelling spray ftw. Worn them in the winter with warm socks and they were fine. Heatwise, the asics were warmest as they were typical trainer construction, then the 93/17s cos the knit upper is warmer than it looks, the Huaraches were the breeziest but with warm socks was no problemo.

AJ wrote:

Hey, where'd the rest of my post go? I wanted to say they look like something a spaceman from the future would wear.

Fun fact, the Huarache nearly didnt get made, no one at Nike would back the production run initially because they couldn't get the pre-order numbers they needed for retail. Oh and the shoe design is now 27 years old, which speaks volumes about how good it is really when you consider it still looks forward looking today.

I want to hug Roujin. Great post mate. Will hit the shops tomorrow.

WorKid wrote:

I want to hug Roujin. Great post mate. Will hit the shops tomorrow.

No problem but I recommend only using shops to try on sizes. Usually you can get very good deals online for trainers and sites have sales quite often.

Example, the 93/17s are rrp £150, but they released on black Friday and i got 30% off online instantly. I have also seem them in the current sales on offspring and othat sites for about half price.

Caution using Amazon to get super bargain shoes though as they are probably fakes from a third party seller.

I've got some smart black brown and beige shoes that are perfectly comfortable to wear for 10k trekking around the City and stuff like that.  Instead of buying a pair for walking and a pair to wear at work, why not just get a pair of smart ones that are suitably cushioned for walking?

I have some black slip on shoes that are like walking on air, and a pair of desert shoes that feel like slippers.

In before everyone else suggests fake grass.

Need something safe for my son when he's able to walk and wants to play in the garden. I did think fake grass maybe an idea, but slabs would remove alot of insects in the garden and we have alot of insects at present due to the weeds.

And insects aren’t dangerous.

Also keep the decking if its in good enough condition maybe it just needs a power wash or a rub down and refinishing but decking is usually minimal maintenance.